Keluaran 18:21

18:21 But you choose ¹  from the people capable men, ²  God-fearing, ³  men of truth, ⁴  those who hate bribes, ⁵  and put them over the people ⁶  as rulers ⁷  of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

Bilangan 16:2

16:2 and rebelled against Moses, along with some of the Israelites, 250 leaders ⁸  of the community, chosen from the assembly, ⁹  famous men. ¹⁰ 

Bilangan 16:2

16:2 and rebelled against Moses, along with some of the Israelites, 250 leaders ¹¹  of the community, chosen from the assembly, ¹²  famous men. ¹³ 

1 Samuel 21:1-3

21:1 (21:2) David went to Ahimelech the priest in Nob. Ahimelech was shaking with fear when he met ¹⁴  David, and said to him, “Why are you by yourself with no one accompanying you?” 21:2 David replied to Ahimelech the priest, “The king instructed me to do something, but he said to me, ‘Don’t let anyone know the reason I am sending you or the instructions I have given you.’ ¹⁵  I have told my soldiers ¹⁶  to wait at a certain place. ¹⁷  21:3 Now what do you have at your disposal? ¹⁸  Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever can be found.”

1 Samuel 24:10-17

24:10 Today your own eyes see how the Lord delivered you – this very day – into my hands in the cave. Some told me to kill you, but I had pity ¹⁹  on you and said, ‘I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s chosen one.’ ²⁰  24:11 Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn’t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning ²¹  evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life. 24:12 May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you. 24:13 It’s like the old proverb says: ‘From evil people evil proceeds.’ But my hand will not be against you. 24:14 Who has the king of Israel come out after? Who is it that you are pursuing? A dead dog? A single flea? 24:15 May the Lord be our judge and arbiter. May he see and arbitrate my case and deliver me from your hands!”

24:16 When David finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is that your voice, my son David?” Then Saul wept loudly. ²²  24:17 He said to David, “You are more innocent ²³  than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you!

[18:21]  ¹ tn The construction uses the independent pronoun for emphasis, and then the imperfect tense “see” (חָזָה, khazah) – “and you will see from all….” Both in Hebrew and Ugaritic expressions of “seeing” are used in the sense of choosing (Gen 41:33). See U. Cassuto, Exodus, 220.

[18:21]  ² tn The expression is אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל (’anshe khayil, “capable men”). The attributive genitive is the word used in expressions like “mighty man of valor.” The word describes these men as respected, influential, powerful people, those looked up to by the community as leaders, and those who will have the needs of the community in mind.

[18:21]  ³ tn The description “fearers of God” uses an objective genitive. It describes them as devout, worshipful, obedient servants of God.

[18:21]  ⁴ tn The expression “men of truth” (אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת, ’anshe ’emet) indicates that these men must be seekers of truth, who know that the task of a judge is to give true judgment (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 220). The word “truth” includes the ideas of faithfulness or reliability, as well as factuality itself. It could be understood to mean “truthful men,” men whose word is reliable and true.

[18:21]  ⁵ tn Heb “haters of bribes.” Here is another objective genitive, one that refers to unjust gain. To hate unjust gain is to reject and refuse it. Their decisions will not be swayed by greed.

[18:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “over them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:21]  ⁷ sn It is not clear how this structure would work in a judicial setting. The language of “captains of thousands,” etc., is used more for military ranks. There must have been more detailed instruction involved here, for each Israelite would have come under four leaders with this arrangement, and perhaps difficult cases would be sent to the next level. But since the task of these men would also involve instruction and guidance, the breakdown would be very useful. Deut 1:9, 13 suggest that the choice of these people was not simply Moses’ alone.

[16:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “princes” (so KJV, ASV).

[16:2]  ⁹ tn These men must have been counselors or judges of some kind.

[16:2]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “men of name,” or “men of renown.”

[16:2]  ¹¹ tn Heb “princes” (so KJV, ASV).

[16:2]  ¹² tn These men must have been counselors or judges of some kind.

[16:2]  ¹³ tn Heb “men of name,” or “men of renown.”

[21:1]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “trembled to meet.”

[21:2]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “let not a man know anything about the matter [for] which I am sending you and [about] which I commanded you.”

[21:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “servants.”

[21:2]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew expression here refers to a particular, but unnamed, place. It occurs in the OT only here, in 2 Kgs 6:8, and in Ruth 4:1, where Boaz uses it to refer to Naomi’s unnamed kinsman-redeemer. A contracted form of the expression appears in Dan 8:13.

[21:3]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “under your hand.”

[24:10]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “it had pity,” apparently with the understood subject being “my eye,” in accordance with a common expression.

[24:10]  ²⁰ tn Heb “anointed.”

[24:11]  ²¹ tn Heb “there is not in my hand.”

[24:16]  ²² tn Heb “lifted his voice and wept.”

[24:17]  ²³ tn Or “righteous” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “you are in the right”; NLT “are a better man than I am.”